Supervillain Origins: Galactus

A nearly omnipotent being from the Marvel universe, Galactus is the sole survivor of a universe that existed before the Big Bang. Surviving the event, he was resurrected and inadvertently awoken after eons of sleep. Transformed into a massive being of great power, he felt an insatiable hunger, and fed upon the energies of countless worlds while the time needed between feedings continued to diminish. Eventually, he enlisted a herald whom he transformed into The Silver Surfer to search the cosmos for his next meal, before battling Earth's Fantastic Four. Join WatchMojo.com as we explore the comic book origins of Galactus.

He is the devourer of worlds! Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be exploring the comic book origins of Galactus.

As with most comic book characters, there are often re-imaginings and different versions to a character’s past. We have chosen to primarily follow the storyline that unfolded in 1966’s Fantastic Four #48, which was expanded upon in 1996’s Origin of Galactus #1.

A nearly omnipotent being from the Marvel universe, Galactus is the sole survivor of a universe that existed before the Big Bang.

Born billions ago on the technologically advanced paradise world of Taa, he was once named Galen, and became aware that all currently existing life was about to end abruptly with the occurrence of the big bang.

With his people dying of radiation poisoning, he decided to bravely fly his spaceship into the Big Bang’s event horizon in an attempt to sacrifice himself and neutralize its formation.

However, once inside he discovered a cosmic entity called “the sentience of the Universe”, who merged with him as the big bang decimated and fertilized.

Resurrected, he drifted for billions of years in an inert state until he was happened upon by a Watcher, a member of an advanced alien species studying the cosmos and practicing non-interference. Giving into his curiosity, the watcher inadvertently awoke Galactus.

Having become a life form of pure energy, Galactus formed a body suit to regulate his boundless power and entered a new state of hibernation that would allow him to evolve into his final form.

This incubation period ended when he fed upon the elemental energy of a nearby planet and crafted a reproduction of his long-destroyed homeworld, which he called Taa II.

In the millennia that followed, Galactus fed upon the energies of countless uninhabited worlds, and the time needed between feedings continued to diminish. Eventually, he lost all reservations about annihilating life forms and turned his attention to inhabited worlds, seeing himself as a superior being that kept the balance between death and eternity.

Galactus then came upon the planet of Zenn-La, and was convinced by one of its natives to show mercy in exchange for loyal service as his Herald. Bestowed with the “Power Cosmic”, this selfless being became the Silver Surfer, who would act as Galactus’ scout and seek out new planets for his master to devour. It was he who then discovered earth…

At this time, a visiting Watcher recognized the imminent danger, and decided to intervene by forming a barrier around the planet.

With the Surfer making his way through the enclosure with ease, a message was sent to his master, who quickly arrived in his giant ship only to be met by the Fantastic Four.

Ignoring their pleas, Galactus formed a ray to convert the planet’s elemental energy. However, the Silver surfer felt pity for the humans and decided to help the Fantastic 4 restrain Galactus. While the Thing destroyed the world-consuming device, the Watcher transported The Human Torch to Taa II to retrieve a powerful weapon called “The Ultimate Nullifier.”

With the Fantastic Four threatening to use the Nullifier to destroy Galactus, he was forced to promise not to harm their world in exchange for the weapon’s return.

However, Galactus eventually returned out of desperation for his Herald to rejoin him, and to claim Earth’s life energy, thus spurring a face off against Earth’s mightiest heroes, the Avengers.

An unrivalled force, Galactus has demonstrated a vast and never-ending array of incredible powers, including taking on the appearance of whatever species looks upon him and resurrecting the dead. He continues to appear in countless media, and marked his live action debut in 2007’s “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.”

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